Your Homeopathic Questions Answered Betty Magill, ND CNHP, CHS, CAT, BS Bioenergetics Practitioner

WHY HOMEOPATHICS? I have been involved with natural alternatives for my own health most of my adult life. In 2002, I began taking my family on a regular basis to see a practitioner who used electrodermal screening and homeopathics, the same technique I use today. I found this to be extremely effective for my family. When the practitioner decided to no longer travel to Western Pennsylvania early in 2008, and I was unable to find someone close, I started training in electrodermal screening, homeopathy, and as an ND (naturopathic doctor) in October 2009. In April 2013 I received my certification as a Naturopathic Doctor (ND). WHAT ARE HOMEOPATHICS? Homeopathy is a natural system of medicine versus a prescription based medicine, based on the principle that like cures like. When there is a specific substance that causes a specific symptom in a person, that same substance can also help eliminate those symptoms when it is highly diluted. The dilution can be so great that only a “pattern” of the original substance exists. The body then responds to everything resembling this pattern seeking to remove it from the body. This process is known as detoxification. The body is constantly identifying and working to remove substance that is not beneficial to it. Homeopathy assists the body in this process by giving it a pattern of what to look for. Homeopathy is the second largest medicinal system used in the world today and continues to grow extensively each year in the United States. ARE HOMEOPATHICS EFFECTIVE? A quick search of the internet will put you into contact with innumerable happy users testifying to homeopathy's effectiveness. In my practice, repeat customers are above 95%. People would not return if it wasn’t effective. Health Clean has also been built on referrals with people coming as far west as California, as far east as New Jersey, as far south as Florida, and as far north as upper New York. People do not make referrals or travel long distances for something that is not effective. A large percentage of those coming to Health Clean are also under their doctor's care, especially for the more major diseases. The result? confirmation that homeopathics work. One client related that her doctor said, "I admit. I don't understand how it works, but keep doing what it is you're

doing." Another told of this comment by her doctor: “Do you realize that you and your husband proved all of UPMC wrong?” ARE HOMEOPATHICS SAFE? Yes, very safe. In most cases babies and pregnant women can use homeopathy without concern about side-effects. Before you take any homeopathic, it is important to ensure it is right for you by being screened before you use them. Homeopathics can also be taken with traditional medicines. Another plus for homeopathics—they are not addictive. If there were a downside it would be the small amount of alcohol that is mixed with the homeopathic to help it maintain its effectiveness. Some people are allergic to the alcohol. All clients are screened for compatibility with all homeopathics. ARE HOMEOPATHICS THE SAME AS HERBAL MEDICINE? No. Herbals and homeopathics are not the same. Herbals are derived directly from plants and their oils and processed in highly concentrated forms to obtain their effectiveness. Herbals are like warriors that engage the symptoms they have come out to remove. It is possible to take too much of an herbal and to experience side-effects. Homeopathics on the other hand are not concentrated forms of the substance they seek to mimic. They are a highly diluted form of what is causing the symptoms. If a person has a mold issue, the mold particle is highly diluted so that only a pattern of the mold causing the symptom is left and then given to the person. Homeopathics do not have side effects nor can you take too much. However, be aware that taking more of a homeopathic doesn’t produce faster results. Homeopathics are not warriors, but more like messengers sent to the General who will then mobilize his forces to remove the foreign invaders. In other words, homeopathics sends the message to the body which then signals all of its cells that a certain pattern needs to be removed. HOW IS HOMEOPATHY DIFFERENT FROM CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE? Homeopathy goes to the source of your symptoms instead of focusing on the symptoms alone. A person with a number of symptoms may be treated by a conventional doctor for each symptom. With homeopathy many symptoms generally have the same cause and it is this cause that is focused upon. Remove the cause, you remove the symptoms. Conventional medicine too often suppresses a symptom’s cause. An example of this is how cough medicine suppresses the cough reflex, while homeopathy removes the cause of the reflex. Most conventional medicines warn of side-effects, which then require more drugs to deal with them. Homeopathy has no side-effects.

WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME A STANDARD HOMEOPATHIC? That would certainly be nice and easy, but there are not standard homeopathics. For example, let’s look at a headache. The homeopath must match your particular cause for your headache. Even though ten people may complain of a headache with similar symptoms and severity, all ten may have a different cause. Is this the case in all situations? No. For example I have seen a number of people with symptoms of a particular flu; the homeopathic was the same for each. However, there were others who came to me with similar flu like symptoms. When screened I found a different homeopathic was needed. Some have found relief by taking “over the counter” homeopathics, but to be sure it’s important to see your practitioner. Screening will give the assurance that your homeopathic is compatible for your needs. WHY ARE HOMEOPATHICS TAKEN UNDER THE TONGUE? This is also known as sublingual. The main reason is that this is the best place for them to be immediately absorbed by the body. It is here that the blood vessels are very close to the surface, allowing the homeopathic to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream almost immediately. Taking supplements or medication through the mouth takes up to twenty minutes or longer before absorbed into the bloodstream. My husband has often shared that he felt he had improved within a few minutes after taking a homeopathic. After screening him, sure enough, a great improvement was measured. FRIENDS HAVE TOLD ME THAT HOMEOPATHY WORKS BY THE "PLACEBO EFFECT." IS THIS TRUE? Consider the following: A large portion of those coming to Health Clean have been under doctor's care and have spent large amounts of money for years without significant improvement. Where was the placebo effect at this time? They were sold on their doctor’s ability to heal; they were not natural health fanatics; their main concern was to be healed. They wanted to improve and kept hoping to improve for years without results. When they came to Health Clean they were cautious, wanting to find hope, but uncertain that they would find it…until they saw results. Most were very skeptical. As I was writing this I received a phone call from a lady who said, “I have to admit, I’m very skeptical. Even after seeing it working, I still don’t believe it.” It is the results that produce the belief, instead of the belief producing the results. In this case, seeing is believing. Consider also that babies (who are not conscious that the homeopathic is any different from water) and small children also see results. How could the placebo effect possibly work with them? And what about animals? I have seen a goat, a horse, and several dogs find homeopathics effective. We recently had a stray dog show up with a visible limp causing her to whine constantly. I screened her, gave her a homeopathic and that same day she whined less and the

limp was not so pronounced Within three days there was no visible limp and the whining had stopped. The amazing thing here is that animals do not have any belief system or expectations to influence the results. Placebo effect? I don't think so. Effective? Most definitely. WHAT ABOUT THIS FEELING WORSE BEFORE FEELING BETTER THAT I'VE HEARD ABOUT? This is called a "healing crises" and "herxheimers" (herx) which can be a normal part of homeopathy’s healing process. This is another area where traditional medicine differs from homeopathy. We have been taught that if symptoms are to be relieved, they should not be increased in the process. That's because traditional medicine removes the surface symptoms while repressing the cause of symptoms. Homeopathy's goal is to bring the cause to the surface; when this is accomplished, the "healing crises" or “herx” may be experienced. It is important to remember that you have symptoms because there is something unseen and unfelt going on inside you. This root cause is your real problem and has been developing long before the symptoms appeared. The symptoms only let you know that you have a problem. The root cause of all symptoms is malfunctioning cells. Cells malfunction because they are either overloaded with toxins or nutritionally deficient and usually it is both. Homeopathics help the body to release toxins from the cells and put them into the bloodstream so they can be removed from the body. Until they are removed, this multitude of released toxins is now in your bloodstream. Since these are the cause of your symptoms, you may experience worse symptoms than the original ones because there are now many more toxins in your bloodstream. Because toxins are now present in the tissues, symptoms such as headaches, body aches, running nose, fevers, etc. may be exhibited. As they travel through your bloodstream, they are then removed through your bowels, urine, and sweat. Contrary to traditional medicine, this is a sign of improvement and of not getting worse. Some clients new to homeopathics often become concerned thinking that the homeopathics have made them worse; however, this “healing crises” is confirmation that your body is on the road to recovery. These symptoms usually last a few hours or days and then the person feels better than before. Your body was created to heal itself, but modern day living greatly hinders its ability to do so. Homeopathics add support to your body’s natural healing as it stimulates your body to do what it is meant to do—heal itself. WHY DOES THE BODY NEED HOMEOPATHICS TO HELP IT TO DO WHAT IT IS MADE TO DO? If we lived in the 1800's the body would not need assistance, or not so much. Our problem is that we live in the twenty-first century where we are overly saturated with unclean, toxic air; polluted, toxic water; and toxic and chemically filled food. Electronic devices such as cordless phones, microwaves, computers, wireless, cell phones, power lines, etc. all emit low doses of EMFs (electromagnetic fields) which increase your toxins and adversely affects your body. Our bodies are now filled with an overload of stuff (toxins) that can’t be eliminated or absorbed; these toxins attach to the cells and tissues blocking their ability to function

properly. Homeopathy helps the body to remove toxins from the cells and into the bloodstream and out of the body allowing the cells and tissues to function as they should. The sad state of our air, food, and water makes assisting our bodies a necessity. Thank you for staying with me this far. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at [email protected]. In the meantime, continue to live healthy by being clean from the inside out. _____________________________________________________________________________________ HEALTH CLEAN™ Living Healthy, Healthy Clean HealthClean.org [email protected] Copyright 2013 by Health Clean, LLC. Note that the FDA has not evaluated nor approved any supplement or protocol outlined in this article. Information is presented as a matter of interest and is based on the opinion and experience of the author. _____________________________________________________________________________________